Lab Rat
by Wind Wanderer
Summary: Cloud is having nightmares about his time in Hojo's lab. Vincent wants to help but the blond will not talk. And is there another group planning to continue the Jenova research with Cloud? Violence and language
1. Chapter 1

New story. U.U honestly, what am I thinking.

Le: You want to torture someone but you gave up on working on Ty's story.

Ty: (teary eyed boy) I'm a lab rat too.

Ah, Ty I love you. (hugs Ty) And that is why I torture you. Now do the disclaimer.

Ty: TT, k. Wind does not own Final Fantasy, but she does own us. (makes puppy dog eyes) Please save me. She's going to kill me!

Quiet you! Please Review People!!

* * *

_Heavy breathing echoed hollowly around the normally dark basement. Blinding lights hung over a pale body of the panicking boy. The quick acting tranquilizer was leaving his system as fast as it had hit, leaving the child conscious for what he knew was coming as the shadow fall across his face. The boy bit his lip, causing a trickle of blood to run down his chin, praying that he could withhold. _

_Pain seared through every nerve as the knife fell upon the quivering body which lay strapped to a freezing steel table, cutting open sensitive flesh. Blood bloomed like a grotesque flower along the thin line. The coppery smell of blood mixed with the strong tinge of disinfectant and age which eternally clotted the air. Red began to color the steel as the blood flowed down porcelain white skin. Limbs began to strain against the leather straps in a futile attempt to escape the pain. _

_Finally, after excruciating minutes, it could no longer be contained. A scream filled the dank air as the boy on the table felt the cut skin and muscle being peeled back, allowing view of his insides. Long fingers began poking and prodding roughly at organs. After what felt like hours the screams could no longer form in his wiped and swollen throat. Tears fell, making tacks through the blood spatter on his pale face. An aged face framed by pulled back greasy hair, glasses gleaming._

"_How does that feel?" the sound of an electric medical saw revving into life filled the dank basement._

Cloud shot up in bed, his luminous blue eyes wide, sweat plastering golden hair to his face. Groping blindly, white shaking hands found the little basket beside the bed just in time to catch the remains of dinner. It seemed to go on forever till finally there was nothing left; Cloud was left heaving the last of the sickness out. Once the dry heaves subsided, the man propped up against the headboard of his Highwind bed. Cloud closed his eyes as he took a few shaky breaths, attempting the remaining nausea. The stench of blood still lingered in the room, a phantom living in the blonde's boundless memories.

It was odd that the blond was in this room; normally Cloud would be in some inn in whatever town he had dropped into. It had been several months since Meteor had been adverted. The only reason he remained was because of clean up work, dealing with the destruction and battling the remains of Shinra. Many of the soldiers and executive powers which had escaped the destruction of Midgar were not ready to give up control of the world, fighting the changes tooth and nail. The fact that this annoyance was what kept him from being alone had Cloud rather pleased, now that the dreams were becoming more vivid.

'Thank god I have a private room.' Cloud thought as he drew his knees to his chest. The dreams had been becoming worse over time, ever since the second trip into the old Shinra Mansion. The basement which had been the only place he had known for five long years, where he lost what was left of his childhood. It was a place where he and Zack had been locked away for experimentation since that fateful day of Sephiroth's first demise. The dreams, no, memories were a better word for them, had grown more consistent since the suppressed memories had returned.

Memories of the hours of torture at the hands of Hojo, "in the name of science" as the scientist had been fond of saying, were hard to forget. The constant pain and the illness brought on by large amounts of Jenova cells pumped into his young body, along with enough mako to poison a ruby dragon. But it was the tests to see how the cells affected tissue regeneration and affects on anatomy that had been the worst. So many excruciating hours under saws and drills all ran together into a single, never ending chasm of pain. Never a drop of anesthetic accompanied these meetings; Hojo wanted his subjects conscious enough to tell him the affects of what he did to them.

Cloud shivered, hugging his knees closer as the image of Hojo looming over him returned. A sob was on the edge of escaping Cloud's lips as his eyes filled with moisture. Cloud bit his lip hard, attempting to hold back the sound; the taste of copper in his mouth overpowered the aftertaste of being sick. He had done the same many nights after Hojo's visits, unwilling to cause Zack any more trouble. The memory of Zack caused the tears to fall down Cloud's pale cheeks, regardless of their owners will.

"It shouldn't be this bad!' Cloud screamed in his head, rubbing away the tears. He is twenty one, he's not that sixteen year old child left traumatized by the destruction of the only home he had known, a child living in fear of the next visit from a sadistic bastard, fearing what those whispers in the back of his mind may have meant. He was not that comatose lump that Zack had dragged almost the entire way to Midgar. He was the leader of Avalanche, a hero, savior of the world. He defeated the greatest Soldier, the great Sephiroth damn it!

"Why am I shaking like a child over a bad dream!?" Cloud whispered savagely into his knees.

Cloud glanced at the clock beside his bed, 2:56. The blond let out a shaky breath as he banged his head lightly against the headboard. It was too early to leave the room without raising suspicion, but too late to get any real sleep. Not that he would be sleeping much now. Cloud rolled onto his side, still hugging himself beneath the covers, waiting with his nightmares.

_A flash crossed over those horrible glasses as the demon bent forward, inches away from his face,_ "_Hm, interesting."

* * *

_

"What the hell are you guys doing? Get to work!!" Cid yelled at the crew, throwing a loose punch which did not, and was not meant to connect with a lagging member of the airship's crew.

If anyone noticed the dark circles under Cloud's eyes, no one mentioned it to the man. On the contrary, it seemed that no one had noticed the young hero was acting odd at all. The crew of the Highwind went about their business without as much as a glance at the hero. No one noticed how skittish the blond seemed. Nor how Cloud was always looking for the cause of sudden noises and would jump whenever someone was behind him. Not even his own team seemed to wonder why Cloud would evade conversing but would not be left alone in a room.

It was hours before Vincent walked into the navigation room, cloak billowing behind him like a crimson cloud. The gunner took every detail in as he made his way across the room, an unconscious habit from his Turk days. Red eyes narrowed as he stopped short of the steps leading to his favorite spot below the top deck. Vincent had noticed what everyone else had missed, how haggard the blond looked that day. Changing directions, Vincent made his way toward the younger man stealthily.

"Cloud," Vincent said from behind the blond. An ebony eyebrow rose slightly as Vincent saw the swordsman physically jumped. Cloud whipped around so quickly Vincent was surprised the man had not pulled something in that haste.

"Oh," Cloud blushed faintly as he saw Vincent, "hey Vincent, what do you need?" Vincent watched Cloud pull himself together into a semi normal state. Still, the blond looked like a cornered rabbit.

Vincent did not bat an eye at Cloud's acting, "Something's wrong." The gunner said flatly. He may not have been the most talkative of the group, that position would always remain with Yuffie, but he had learned a great deal about people as a Turk. It was simple to understand when a person was spooked; it made the regular work of a Turk much simpler, allowing him to exploit a weakness. But how to reverse such a mood was something that was new for Vincent.

As Vincent expected it would, Cloud's face went blank, "What would that be Vincent?"

Red eyes glared into blue. There was no reason to state what they both knew was the issue. If it had been any other person among the group, they would have backed down under Cloud's stare. But Vincent was much older and much more experienced then the others and it was obvious in his look. Cloud looked away first, his eyes moving down to the floor like a naughty child. It did not last as Cloud looked up again with his jaw set stubbornly.

"There is nothing wrong, I am just fine." Cloud brushed the older man off. The blond walked out of the bridge angrily. Crew members jumped out of the swordsman's way, knowing from their experience with Cid to stay out of the way of angry blonds.

Vincent thought of following the blond until Cid laid an arm across red clad shoulders, "Vince, we got word of a Shinra uprising over near the Condor Reactor. Red and I are ready and willing to kick some ass."

Vincent sighed as he looked at the door. Removing the resistance of Shinra was their main goal now, along with keeping the people safe. This had to come first; Cloud would just have to wait.

* * *

Cloud watched the three leave the ship, sighing in relief. A pang of guilt hit the man as he stared at the closed door. He trusted Vincent, he really did, and the older man was like an older brother. Vincent was the only one who had spent a large amount of time with Hojo. Nanami had only been with the doctor for a month before Avalanche had arrived. And the gunner was the most likely to understand but Cloud did not want to cause anymore trouble for his friends. He had already asked too much, making them gallivant across the world looking for Sephiroth, the fact that Cloud had almost caused the destruction of the world. It was a wonder that they still hung around the blond after all of this.

'It will pass,' Cloud thought as he went to check his chocobo in the stable area. The gold chocobo crooned at the sight of her master.

"Hey girl," Cloud sat down against the bird's warm body. He stroked her feathers absentmindedly. "It really is not that bad," Cloud mumbled to his chocobo. "I mean, other people have had worse happen." Cloud's eyes began drooping as the world became black.

_Cloud woke suddenly to a tapping on his container. He felt so sick he did not even look up, knowing who was outside, "Now what will we do today Specimen B?" Hojo purred, causing a shiver to pass through the boy. _

"_Leave him alone, you sick son of a bitch!" pounding came from the other pod next to Cloud's. Cloud lifted his head slightly to stare blankly at the black haired man floating inside. _

"_Honestly Specimen A, you will get your turn soon enough." Hojo smiled like a serpent waiting to devour the defenseless bird. "Remove Specimen B and strap it to the table."_

_A low curse from the Soldier was drowned out by the sound of the bone saw, followed by the screams of his young friend. Zack turned away from the grizzly sight of the boy, hands clenched into tight fists, powerless to do anything but listen.

* * *

_

Yeah, well that was the first chapter. Some will say this is OOC. Maybe, but the way I see it, Hojo is one sick son of a bitch. Do you really think it would be nothing but some shots and Mako? Look at all the blood on the floor during your first visit.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, seven reviews. AWSOME!

Le: Moron, get to work.

Ty: (shakes head) Let her be, she does not torture us when she rants.

Too late. I own nothing but the new guys, the old guys and this lovely hack saw. Read and review people. I will not update unless I get enough reviews. Consider this a threat.

"ow" talking

'ow' thoughts

_ow_ memories and dreams

* * *

"Yo, Cloud! Come 'ere, come 'ere, come 'ere!!" Yuffie proclaimed, rushing over to grab the soldier's hand. The ninja tugged the blond into moving. The ninja beamed at the blond as he moved faster to keep from being pulled off his feet.

The ex-soldier turned a long suffering glance at the red clad man tailing the two. Vincent rolled his crimson eyes at the two; happy it was not him Yuffie was hanging on. It was amusing to see one of the strongest warriors in the world being pulled around by a sixteen year old hyper active ninja girl.

The fact that the girl was about to pull Cloud off his feet troubled Vincent. Unlike what Cloud thought, Vincent had not let the issue drop. There was something troubling the blond man, Vincent could see it in his posture and, more sure then anything, in the glowing blue pools of Cloud's eyes. Vincent had every intention of cornering the boy that night.

For Cloud's part, he had most definitely not forgotten his problem. Not a single night went by that he did not return to the Shinra Mansion. Metal and grinding and the sickly swirling mass of mako that made up five long years of his life. Cloud could honestly say that he missed the time after the escape, when he had thought he was Zack. It had saved him from dealing with the reality of his life.

"See, this is so awesome!" Yuffie proclaimed as they reached her destination.

Both men's eyes widened at the sight of a rather impressive motorcycle. The machine was impressive, a sleek black mass of iron and plastic fit together into the most beautiful shape of power. It was something any young man would die to have. For the first time in days, Cloud's eyes glowed brightly. A rare smile crossed the pale face as he ran a hand over the smooth black paint.

"I thought you would love this," Yuffie smiled at the look on Cloud's face. The blond looked like an exited teenager in front of the motorcycle.

Vincent sighed, "I hate to interrupt you two," Vincent waved his metallic claw at the blond leader and the bike, "But I really think we should deal with the monsters."

"Ah," Cloud blushed lightly. He glared at the ninja as she giggled at his expense. "Yes, we should get this over with quickly."

* * *

Darkness crept through the sky outside of inn windows. The world outside of the glass barrier slowly turned inside, retreating from the coming cold. The smell of smoke fell from the many chimneys. Every now and then the wind would draw the remaining stench of blood from the woods, where an uncounted amount of monsters littered the ground. Only one person remained outside, golden hair bleached blood red from the setting sun.

"Cloud,"

The young man looked up at the towering gunner. "Vincent."

Vincent sat down on the wall, beside the blond. The two sat in silence, watching the color drain from the land.

Vincent was the first to break the silence, "How are the dreams?" The younger man stiffened, not looking at the gunner. "I know nightmares." Vincent stated.

Cloud glanced at the older man, finding crimson eyes boring into his own. Those haunted eyes burned into him, seeing into the darkest corner of Cloud's soul. This was the part where Hojo still ruled over the life of a frightened teenager with needles and drills.

"_You should be honored." The sound of a saw filled the air, "You just may become better then Sephiroth one day."_

_Hot tears fell down pale cheeks, soundless cries stuck in the back of the teenager's throat. _

"_Hey! Hey, you freaky quack! Leave the kid alone! Let me out and see how you fare" The dark haired man floating in another tank, facing the table, Zack slammed a fist against the glass. _

_Hojo leaned forward, a strand of dark hair tickling the boy's wet cheek, "If you are a good specimen," the scientist whispered into Cloud's ear, "I just may leave Specimen A alone for today."_

Vincent did not miss the shiver that ran through the blond, nor the vacant look that clouded those blue eyes. For that moment, Vincent saw Cloud as a child in a grown up body. 'It made sense,' Vincent thought, 'the boy only reached his teens before his life was stolen by that Hojo. Just like mine.'

Vincent let the silence continue for a moment, "I may know what is bothering you," Vincent looked at Cloud, gauging his words affect. "I can help."

Cloud chuckled softly, "That was a bit clichéd Vince."

Vincent shrugged, "I am not the best talker," again the boy chuckled shakily.

"What is it?" Vincent leaned back to look up at the vast field of stars. If there was one thing the former Turk had come close to missing during his sleep, it had been the stars. It suited the gunner, a creature of darkness.

"What makes you think there is anything wrong?" Vincent could here the defiance swell up in Cloud's voice. It may make the swordsman unstoppable in a fight, but it was making an already difficult situation worse.

"Did you talk to Hojo that way? He would have loved that." The comment had only been an offhanded thought, drawing from Vincent's own vivid memories of those hours of torment.

But the words had obviously struck a cord. Cloud stood up abruptly, standing straight. "I don't think I understand you. Excuse me." And before Vincent could say anything, the boy was gone into the dark streets.

"Perfect, Valentine." Vincent shook his head as he watched the darkness.

* * *

'Gods, I am so stupid!'

Cloud threw his head back lightly, tapping the back of his skull against the massive trunk of the tree he was propped against. It was impossible to tell how long he had been sitting in that spot; the shifting leaves overhead hiding the sky from the forest floor.

'If I wanted to keep my secret,' Cloud thought, 'that was not the way.'

Maybe this was what he wanted though, maybe Cloud wanted Vincent to figure it out. While else would he be acting like an idiot?

'I wish Zack was still here.'

"_Cloud, buddy," Zack looked through the side of the tube to the blond teen. He could just see the boy suspended in the swirling green haze, curled into himself, attempting to disappear. _

_Zack leaned his forehead against the glass, "Hey, I remember how me and Seph trashed the labs at Shinra Inc." the blonde's head turned ever so slightly, "Yeah, it was just awesome. I took a whole can full of food coloring and turned every one of the SoB's lab coats pink. Then we took this spay foam I found in a joke shop and drew smiley faces over every surface." _

_Zack watched a small smile tug at Cloud's mouth. A broad smile crossed the First Class Soldier's face as he kept talking. _

Zack was always the strong one, the one who could take anything. 'I wish I really was him.'

* * *

Towering grey masses of metal and concrete littered the equally bleak area. The putrid stench of smoke and decay clotted in the longs of those few living bodies picking through the broken husks of buildings. This was the remains of Midgar, an appropriate death for such a dilapidated creature.

But it was only two people standing inside one of those skeletal structures that mattered.

"How could you let them escape," one man, tall and thin, growled. It was impossible to take this act serious for the sickly white pallor, as well as the sheer lack of mass, assured that this man had no means to back up any threat. Dark brown hair hung around this man's thin face in greasy strings. A splash of white was already working its way into the temples.

"I fail to see the problem," this man, on the other hand, looked capable of crushing his companion's skull in one massive fist. Shorter then the other man, this one had the build of a tank, a rather vicious axe hanging from his muscular back. "Those boys looked ready to keel over. I can find them easily."

The taller man sighed at fighter' words, looking at the scattered papers littering the brown floor, old blood stained into the scuffed ground. All this brilliant work, left to rot, the man thought as he started gathering them into his arms. "I seriously doubt that Azel, they have Jenova cells in them. They will be long gone within hours, half dead or not."

"I need Jenova cells to continue the research. The only ones I could get were in the clones and you-" the man stopped, looking at the slip of paper in his hand. A thin smile crept its way onto his peaked face.

"What has you so happy Dr. Anders?" Azel asked as he bent forward to glance at the paper.

"This," Dr. Anders turned the paper over to show the picture of a spiky haired blond. "This is what we need to find."

* * *

Longer chapter, now REVIEW MY LOVELY LITTLE DUCKIES!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Um, yeah.

Ly: She owns nothing.

Yeah.

Ly: But she did suposidly come up with the idea.

Yeah.

Ly: And if you do not review, I will hunt you down and make you regret it.

* * *

Vincent glared into the blue vastness outside of the Highwind. This was turning out to be far harder then he would have expected to corner Cloud. Ever since the night that Vincent had almost reached the blond, Cloud had been avoiding the gunner. Every time Vincent had sought to corner him, Cloud had evaded. If anything, Cloud seemed to be using this as insensitive to hide his troubles deeper.

"Maybe I am going about this wrong," Vincent wondered out loud. He was always the first to admit that he did not know emotions. But Vincent was also unwilling to bring the others into this attempt to help Cloud. That was one thing that Vincent knew would only make things worst, the boy was prideful and his appearance in front of others was important.

'Damn it.'

* * *

"Hey Cloud, we are going to go buy supplies. Want to come?" Tifa asked with a glimmer in her eye. Cloud looked over at the rest of the group; Yuffie and Barret. With a silent sigh, Cloud considered the options.

While these were the worst people to shop with, the girls being girls and Barret being one of those who have to look at every object in the store, it would take hours to do the shopping, with Cloud being nothing but a wallet and a mule. On the other hand, it would give him an escape from Vincent.

"Fine,"

Of course Cloud had been right in his assumption that the trip would be long. The group had gone into Kalm for their shopping. Since the totaling of most of Midgar, the little town had grown into a well sized city. The shopping district was one of the best on the contentment, with a large selection of goods. It was this fact that was making the day so difficult. Each person in the group had differing ideas of what the provisions would be so in the end everyone had split up. Not trusting the others to buy the important items, Cloud had hit the stores quickly but decisively. All of the important medicines and food was bought and sent straight to the Highwind.

This left time for Cloud to walk around the growing town and wallow in his concerns. Even with the growing populous, signs of nature could be seen. It reminded Cloud too much of his home, and the events that happened underneath it.

If not for his still strong danger senses, he may have been dead in an instant.

From a dark alley came a swooshing sound an instant before a large axe flew toward the group. Cloud raised his sword to deflect the projectile, but suddenly the axe snapped backward. A large hand caught the weapon mid air.

"You really are a little squirt, aren't cha'" the towering hulk of muscles grunted. He stared down at Cloud. Azel twisted his neck, causing a resounding crack like thunder to come from the joint. "Well, lets get this over with."

With those words the axe wielding man leapt toward the young man, his movements much faster then one would expect from such a bulky figure. Cloud brought his own weapon up to intercept the axe, surprised when the force of the blow forced the swordsman back a few yards. Blue eyes narrowed as Cloud jumped back in order to get some space. The axe wielder was a formidable fighter, stronger then Cloud in sheer physical power.

'I need to take him down fast before he wears me out,' Cloud thought as he circled around the taller man.

Cloud took the initiative as he sprang forward, bringing his broadsword down upon Azel. The walking muscle blocked the blow with some effort; this gave Cloud time to turn the sword for another blow. This one struck the man, cutting a gash into the armor surrounding his barrel sized chest.

Azel surprised Cloud by throwing a punch into the blonde's side. The force of the blow sent Cloud flying for a moment before rolling back onto his feet. From the intense pain, Cloud could tell that at least one rib was broken. 'Damn it Yuffie, why do you take the Cure Materia when I need it.'

There was no time for even a short fight, Cloud would either have a punctured lung or pass out from the pain. Either way, Cloud needed this fight over now. Ready to unleash one of his most powerful final attacks, Cloud did not notice another person enter the fray until he felt himself freeze.

Cloud could see a scientist walk toward the two fighters, a Time Materia glowing in his hand. "Hello Mr. Strife," something in the cold tone the man used made a metaphorical shiver run down his frozen back. It was far too familiar. "I am Dr. Anders, and I am extremely happy to finally meet you."

"I had him," Azel glared at the other man. The axe was still in the fighter's hands as he glared at he shorter Cloud.

Anders did not even look over at the other man as he walked around Cloud, "Hard to imagine you beat THE Sephiroth."

"Hey Spiky, time to get your scrawny ass in gear!" The two attackers could hear the rest of the group growing closer.

Anders glared in the direction of the calls, "Looks like we will have to continue this later Mr. Strife," with out another word the scientist disappeared into the same alley Azel had arrived in.

Azel waited, glaring at the frozen man, "We will continue this later squirt."

The last thing Cloud saw was Azel's massive fist before darkness swallowed Cloud.

* * *

_The lab was dark when Cloud's eyes finally opened. Body still sore from the tests earlier that day, the blond did not move much as he watched the empty lab with a green tinged gaze. _

_It was a rare moment when nothing was waiting to cause pain. But these moments were not very restful. It was these times that made Cloud wonder how much longer he could remain sane in this place. In these quiet hours, the voices came. At first, Cloud thought that it was his imagination. The voice was so light he could not understand anything it said. Time and progressing research had made the voice louder._

'_Poor child, tortured by the traitors; but what else would you deserve?' the sickly sweet voice slithered its way into Cloud's mind. It filled every crevice of his mind like sugary sludge; Cloud found himself feeling it corrode his mind yet wanting more of the voice._

"_No I don't," Cloud mumbled, trying to turn the voice away from this topic. But it would be no use; the boy had no control over the conversation. _

'_Of course you do child. We could destroy the man, we could do so much. Yet here you are, waiting around like the failure you are. Let me in.' the sharp bark of command followed its last statement. Pain flashed through Cloud's mind, as if someone was forcing its way into his skull._

"_Uh," it was so painful to stay in control. Would it really matter if he gave in to the voice? Would it be the same as what Zack had said happened to Sephiroth in this same basement?_

'_You won't feel a thing, child. I will take care of you love.'_

"_Cloud," Zack's steady voice snapped him out of the voice's haze. "Hey kid, wake up." _

_Cloud did not reply to his friend, he never did after the voices. It felt like he was drained of all energy after whatever it was, ghost or madness, stopped. But that never mattered to Zack. It was as if the older man could sense when Cloud was listening. _

"_I know it is tough bud, but just you wait. I will get us out of here." Zack whispered this. They knew that the lab was not bugged, but Zack always whispered in these moments. "Yeah, you may say I have been saying that for three years . . . or was it four now? Well, don't you worry kid; I will get you out before Hojo destroys you."_

_Cloud never knew if Zack was really talking to him or just talking to himself in order to feel productive. _

_Lights shone into life suddenly, blinding Cloud's sensitive eyes. It was impossible to miss the sharp steps that belonged to only one man. Cloud watched with unfocused eyes as Hojo drew closer. _

_But instead of going for the blonde's prison, the bastard strolled over to Zack's, "Well, well, I believe I promised to give you some attention. Did I not Specimen A?"_

_Zack glared into Hojo's shade covered eyes, "I would love to have a chat. And I would love to rip that throat of yours out and shove it so far up you a-"_

_Hojo did not even raise an eyebrow at Zack as he hit the button to subdue the inhabitant. He did smirk as the lab assistants strapped the Soldier to the table. Hojo smiled a reptile smile at Cloud, looking for all the world like a lizard sizing up an easy meal._

"_I know how much you enjoy watching. Do not worry; I would never forget to give you attention."_

_Cloud fought back the growing terror and disgust at what was about to happen, "B-bite me."_

_The scientist offered a "Don't tempt me" before turning back to the operation table. _

_Cloud closed his eyes, unwilling to watch the sadist work on his friend. Cloud knew that Zack would never give up as much sound as Cloud, but the sounds were enough to make Cloud cold inside. Tears rolled done his face as the sound of the equipment started, followed by the soft squish of flesh being torn. _

'_God, please let me die.'

* * *

_

The chapters are getting longer. By the way, can you tell my depression broke? Yeah, it lasted almost the entire year so far. Did it affect the writing? Review people!! Remember Ly will hurt you if you do not.


	4. Chapter 4

It is really odd how you can be happy and sad at the same time.

Ly: No, you are just psychotic.

That hurts. Well, there will definitely be some messed up shit in this chapter. And a slight slashy aftertaste. Do not worry, it will not last.

Ly: And it will be rather slow, because it is mostly a dream sequence.

No, pay no mind to the person with the negative attitude. I will progress the story some.

Ly: She owns nothing but the occasional secondary character's soul. Now read and review or we shall release Sweeny upon you, useless meat sacks. (takes a bite of Mrs. Lovett's meat pie)

* * *

Vincent stared hard at the small building in front of him. It had been about thirty years since the gunner had visited this spot, snuggly tucked away in a dark corner between the mountains and an ancient forest. For the amount of time that passed, the house had stayed the same.

Shaking his dark head, Vincent stepped toward the door. A light pressure appeared in the small of his back, "Take it nice and slow, young fellow. We do not want any mishaps."

Vincent spun around, snatching the rifle away from the elderly man who had been pressing the barrel into his red clad back. "Really Doctor, you should know better."

"Vincent Valentine?" the aged man blinked owlishly. "I thought they killed you off years ago." The man's eyes fell upon the glistening claw attached to Vincent's arm, "I suppose they found something worst then."

"I need advice," No more had to be said. The two men stepped into the house.

* * *

_Cloud hung within his prison, unsure of what was reality and what was the mako induced nightmares. Images continually flowed through his mind, memories of better days along with the never ending barrage of false memories. _

_The blond stood with hundreds of other Soldier hopefuls. Cloud fidgeted in his corner, he could easily have been among the top five shortest applicants. His bright hair was also a beacon among the collection of dark and dingy hair colors._

"_Why do you think you're doing here Scrimp?" One of the larger boys asked with a sneer. _

_Another boy, who was little more then a carbon copy of his peers laughed, "I think this one is too pretty to be Soldier, maybe he is here for a secretary job."_

"_Strife," a man in a lab coat called into the room, motioning for whichever boy he needed to come into the room. _

_Cloud made his way to the door in record time; he did not want to get off onto the same foot he had been on back home. He neither wanted to start anything that would lead to fighting nor did he want to be the easy target of bullies. Frankly, those two would never make it through the intelligence testing required for Soldiers. If they did, they would never reach anything above third rank. _

"_Strife, Cloud?" the man asked, looking down at the boy. The man waited till Cloud nodded before continuing, "Go into this room for your physical."_

_Cloud walked into the room without much thought. Suddenly the door slammed shut behind him. Turning quickly, Cloud found the door gone, replaced by the walls of the Mansion's basement. _

"_What are you doing, Specimen B?" _

_Cloud felt his heart sink at the silky voice of Hojo. Impossibly strong hands grabbed the boy and spun him around, pinning Cloud to the wall. Hojo stood with only a few inches between himself and the boy. _

_Air caught in Cloud's throat while his heart beat far too fast, his mind and body frozen with fear. The feel of cold steel being pressed into the sensitive skin of his neck made Cloud flinch backward into the wall, despite for any escape he would never find. _

"_That will not do my precious specimen." Hojo cooed into Cloud's ear. Every fiber of skin which was touched by the scientist's breath crawled.

* * *

_

"What can I do for you Vincent?" the doctor asked as he sat down at an aged table, a cup of tea in front of him. He looked up at the gunner who leaned against the opposite wall.

The two let a silence stretch between one another, the elderly man knowing that Vincent would speak in his own time.

"You were the psychiatrist at Shinra for years," Vincent stated blandly.

"As any record would say. And I have not been in their service for over twenty five years." The man took a sip of his tea, sharp brown eyes staring into red orbs. This was a man who had dealt with some of the sickest people on the face of the world. He had looked into eyes of wolves in human skins without a flinch, never giving more then what those monsters expected to see from the shrink.

"I need your help with a friend, Simon," Vincent never changed his tone, each word coming out in the same monotone.

"I honestly do not think I can help anyone," Simon looked down at the cup. "I could not even help that poor child, Sephiroth, how could you trust me to help you?"

Vincent did not ask about this, he knew what would come to anyone who had tried to save Sephiroth from his destructive fate. "I trust you."

"No you do not, a Turk trusts no one." Simon smiled a steely grin, a look which had put many a young fools, who found themselves in his office, in their places. One young man named Vincent among those numbers.

"You will not leave till I agree. So what is wrong with this friend of yours?"

* * *

"Why won't he wake up," Tifa asked the empty air as she sat beside Cloud. The darkness of the room was soothing; it seemed as if Cloud was simply sleeping, instead of being unconscious for almost three days.

It did not make sense. They had been through so many fights, yet none of them had ever been put out of condition like this without an underlining reason. According to Barret, Cloud had simply been hit by a walking mass of muscle. No spells or poisons, just a blow to the head.

Tifa knew that a strong enough blow could cause a great deal of amazing damage. Her master had been very specific to explain exactly what she could do to another human being if she was not careful. But it did not feel right to the brunet that Cloud would be taken down so easily.

"Cloud, I do not know what to do about this," Cloud did not answer, "I know I messed up. I should have done things differently, I should have told you about Nibelheim. I should have been more open. Hell, I should have been nicer to you when we were kids."

A tear ran down her cheek as she held onto that pale hand as if it was her only lifeline, "I know that I cannot change any of that, but I still feel that I should apologize."

Tifa sat for a moment watching Cloud. She could see his eyes rolling rapidly behind closed lids. Occasionally the man would twitch from whatever he was seeing.

"What are you seeing," Tifa asked. Once again, the air of the room offered no reply.

* * *

_Cloud._

_Suddenly, everything was gone. Hojo and the room had vanished as if by magic. Left in their place was a void of black and green. Cloud sighed as he closed his eyes in bliss, nothing hurt, no feelings, no thoughts. It could be heaven, if Hojo had not stolen the very notion of such otherworldly forces meant to protect the innocent. _

_Suddenly, a feather soft touch brushed across Cloud's hand. It was like a soft breeze, but no air moved in this place. Curiosity got the better of him, causing Cloud to open his eyes. _

_Haunted blue eyes stared into gentle green. Looking into those pools of liquid jade, calm passed though the boy. This was right. Those eyes were meant to heal, to save one from their own darkness. They smiled into Cloud's soul, warming every crack left by the mad scientist. _

'_Wait,' a clear female voice caressed him. It was so different from the one which corrupted his thoughts with its sickly sweet coos. No this voice was as soothing as the eyes which it belonged too. _

'_Nothing last forever.'

* * *

_

Yeah, I may be a raging pessimist in the ways of attraction, but in the end I am a closet romantic. I love the idea of Cloud and Aerith, so I threw it in there. Yes, that was Aerith. Or you could think of it as Seph if you really wanted too, I do not care. Most if this is based off the idea that you get really f up dreams when you are ill, and I have dreams where I feel pain and touches.

I really do not think I will be doing many more flashbacks cause soon there will be real time torture for you to read about.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Okay, I lied

Okay, sorry for the long wait.

Ly: What's new? They know you're a waste of space, they expect nothing different.

T-T I am not a waste of space.

Ty: Well, you do tend to procrastinate, and you really should be studying for your finals coming up. Plus there is that skit you need to write. Oh, and the other writings you-

QUITE YOU! Curtain circumstances arose and-

Ly: Right, whatever you say. Since you already wrote the chapter. . . (Ties me up and forces me to read my Geo science book) Study for your god damn finals!

NO!! READ AND REVIEW!

* * *

Vincent leaned against the wall as he waited for Simon to consider what he had heard. Knowing better than to expect a quick solution, Vincent had made himself comfortable as he had told the doctor what he knew about Cloud's problem.

"Well," Simon wiped his glasses with his shirt tail, "It makes me wish that the sick bastard was still alive. I would love to show him the receiving end of a nice stake to the heart."

"Be content that we beat the hell out of him before he died," Vincent nodded; he had suspected that Simon would react that way. The man had been one of the most honest people Vincent had known for years, and suave enough to keep that honesty despite working for Shinra.

"I would like to say that this sort of thing would not have happened in my time, but that would be naive." Simon stared at his cup, "This is a very serious problem you have presented Vincent. Repressed memories, torture, unstable chemical reactions, all on top of fresh traumas," Simon shook his head; "The gods do not like this boy one bit."

"No," Vincent looked thoughtful, "It would seem someone wants him to suffer."

"You need to get the boy to talk, first and foremost," Simon moved to place his used cup into the sink, "I would suggest a therapist, but to be honest I would not trust any of the ones I know. The temptation to sway the savoir of the world would be too tempting."

"You are the best in your field," Vincent stared into the older man's eyes.

Simon turned away, not willing to meet the former Turk's eye, "I was the best. I don't work with people anymore."

"Because of Sephiroth."

Silence stood between them for a few moments, "Yes," the psychiatrist finally admitted. "I saw the danger for that boy. I was in charge of keeping him sane through whatever was going on in that lab.

"The child told me things that made me very nervous about him being under Hojo's care. He was not getting proper nurturing, little human contact outside of his Soldier training. I feared for his mind."

Vincent could not help but comment, "Rightly so, apparently."

"Yes, I still wonder if I could have prevented that whole unpleasant incident. I tried to get him out, you see. I knew what I was getting into with that stunt," Simon studied Vincent's appearance, "I always knew that they had got rid of you discreetly, but still I had to try. I never reached the front door before the guards were on me. I barely got out alive, went into hiding and swore never to deal with another mind again."

Vincent held back a sigh, this was not how he had planned this encounter, "I found you in order to help." Vincent glanced out of a window to the left of Simon's head, "I don't want to mess up again. I have enough sins on my head."

"Damn," Simon growled, "When can I see your friend?"

* * *

Yuffie sat, her legs hanging over one of the armrest of one of the chairs from the conference room. The ninja yawned widely, glancing at the boomerang she was lazily sharpening.

"Man Cloud, you really know how to get all the attention," Yuffie stated as she glanced at the other occupant of the room. The chair had been set in Cloud's room, allowing the occupant to watch the sleeping figure. Usually Tifa was the occupant of the chair, but Yuffie had managed to talk the older woman into getting some sleep. The only way to accomplice that had been to promise to take her sentry duty.

Cloud's only response was a low moan, triggered by whatever nightmare he was having. The teen stared at the blonde, she had gained quite a crush of the hero over the year they had spent fighting together. He was the model of what a fighter should be, at least in Yuffie's opinion. To see him like this, so weak and defenseless was disturbing.

"You better wake up, you jerk. I still need that materia, and I know you have mastered ones hidden somewhere." Yuffie stated as she shifted her position to allow her to bend forward.

Yuffie let out a startled squawk as Cloud's blue eyes shot open. Those eyes moved franticly, taking in the surroundings as if searching for some hidden foe who threatened to jump out at him at any moment.

Finally, he seemed satisfied that nothing was about to attack as he relaxed, glancing at Yuffie, "What are you doing Yuff?"

"Uh, well you've been out for a couple days now and, well we were worried and," Yuffie mumbled as she searched for the right words. "Are you okay?"

Cloud drew himself up, working creaks out of his muscles gingerly, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"That was one hell of a nightmare huh?" the teen laughed slightly, happy that she did not need to explain why she was watching him sleep.

Her laughter died when Cloud shot a startled look, "What?"

"Uh," Yuffie found herself highly uncomfortable again, "Well, I need to go, um, I just need to go." Yuffie jumped out of her chair, she reached into her pocket hastily, "Here, I wanted to give you this."

Cloud watched as the ninja girl rushed out of the room. "She is so weird sometimes." Glancing down, Cloud found that she had stuffed a materia in his hand. Taking a close look at the orb, Cloud stiffened. A time materia was sitting innocently in his hand. He had refused to touch this materia even before his real memories had surfaced. He had subconsciously avoided this one, always putting it into someone else's hand.

Hojo had loved using time materia in his experiments for the more 'delicate' operations. Delicate, in the language of human beings, had meant the experiments which had required no movements from the subject.

Cloud rolled the time materia between his fingers, staring blankly into its green depths. Such a harmless thing, no more than a marble in his hands yet could cause so much trouble. 'Just because it stops movement, does not mean it stops the pain.'

Something in his mind snapped. Growling, Cloud threw the orb against the opposite wall with all his might. With his outstretched arm, he swept the contents covering his nightstand onto the floor. The abuse was followed by the nightstand, propelled into the wall with a savage kick. Mind blank, Cloud devastated the contents of his room.

Cloud snarled once more, striking the wall with his fist. The sound of bones popping did not stop him from hitting the wall over and over. Finally, Cloud sank to the floor, staring blankly at the wreckage. Dimly, he felt the tears roll down his pale cheeks as image after image assaulted his mind.

Once again, the materia caught his eye. A shaky chuckle escaped his lips as the blonde picked up the fractured orb, "Yuffie's gonna kill me."

The dull ache of his hand drew him out of his reprieve; the damaged appendage was already beginning to bruise. A quick swipe of his undamaged hand banished the traces of tears as he began looking for the healing materia. All of his possessions now sported some form of rip, dent or crack. A sigh was his only reply to the destruction he had caused.

"Cloud?" the blonde shot up at the sound of Tifa calling through the door. He stared at the mess franticly, trying to find a nonexistent way to make the damage disappear. "Cloud, are you okay? I heard a lot of noise in there."

"I'm fine Tifa," Cloud called through the door, refusing to open it to the woman.

The fighter must have heard something in his voice because she did not simply accept the reply, "Cloud, are you sure? Can I come in?"

"No!" Cloud cursed silently at his reaction. "Now is not the best time Tifa, I'll see you later."

"Cloud, what-" Tifa stopped suddenly as she opened the door. Tifa looked around at the damage, shocked. "What happened?"

Cloud cast his eye around the room, searching for an answer that would satisfy his friend, "I- I couldn't find something. Got carried away."

"Cloud, what's wrong?" Tifa reached for his shoulder, seeking to give comfort to the blonde. She was shocked when Cloud pulled away roughly.

"I said I'm fine," as he said this, Cloud winched inside. That had come out far too harshly.

"I'm just worried about you. You were unconscious for days, and you have been acting a little off."

Cloud felt the pressure growing inside him again, "Well if you think I'm so weird, I just go," he snapped, storming out of his room.

"Cloud!" Tifa followed him across the walkway. She pulled up short when the door was slammed in her face. Brow creased with concern, she tore the door open. But it was too late, for the only thing that met her on the deck was a breeze. Cloud was gone again.

* * *

Cloud stormed threw the wooded area he had stumbled into. Dark trees loomed overhead, casting the floor in a deep gloom. If his anger had not clouded his mind, Cloud may have found this ironic. As it was, the only thing that Cloud registered was the anger, and a trace of guilt.

"DAMN IT!" Cloud clenched his hand, sending it into the solid bark of one of the trees. A painful gasp escaped his lips upon contact with the trunk. He had struck out with his broken hand.

Cloud leaned against the tree he had just assaulted, nursing his hand gingerly. The pain had brought him out of the center of his anger. Now the guilt and shame of what he had done came to the foreground of his mind. 'She really did not deserve that,' Cloud thought, 'she was only worried about me.'

Cloud kicked at a rock sitting at his feet, his eyes boring holes into the ground where the rock had been. "God damn it. Now Tifa knows that I am freaking out." Cloud kicked at another rock, "Shit."

Not noticing that there was another person in the area, Cloud was caught off guard when a beefy arm clamped around his head. Startled, Cloud tried to hit the body he was now pinned against. I savage strike to his kidney was his only award for his efforts.

"I told you it wasn't over runt," the low growl sounded in Cloud's ear. Realizing that it was Azel who held him, Cloud once again tried to escape the enemy's grasp. "No more of that," Azel whispered as he shook Cloud roughly, making the blonde cease his movements.

"Very good, thank you Azel," Dr. Anders walked into the clearing. His eyes where trained on Cloud like those of a predator sizing up its next meal. "I have been waiting to get properly introduced Mr. Strife. I am Dr. Anders. And I am very happy to have you."

"What d'you want," Cloud grunted, feeling his throat closing from the pressure of the larger man's arm.

Cloud was stunned when the doctor slapped him across the face, "You will speak when asked. You are nothing more than a tool to me, act appropriately."

Blue eyes glared at Anders, but something else had begun to bloom at the back of those glowing pools. A trace of fear.

"Get him to the lab," Anders ordered, moving back the way he had come. Azel tightened his hold on the blonde's neck, cutting off air until the boy had passed out.

"Who's tough now, huh runt?" Azel laughed as he hauled the limp body onto his shoulder, making his way toward the truck hidden at the entrance of the forest.

And that is that. No more story. . . Wait, put those torches down, I'm joking! Sorry for the wait; so much work, so little time. I will be working on more chapters this weekend, ya know, instead of doing that studying. It is finals week for me, save my soul from the crushing weight and review.


	6. Chapter 6

I have to say that I hate everything right now, so it was a great mindset for the chapter. Sorry if it is rough, but it was so long since I did a chapter I thought that I should put it out quickly. I will be cleaning it up better later when I am in a better frickin' mood. Plus it took so long because I had to rewrite the whole damn thing, it sucked royally before.

Review or I won't torture the blonde.

* * *

Cloud woke slowly, his unfocused eyes meeting nothing. All around him, the darkness was thick enough to drown in. The sensation of cold stone assured him that he was still alive, wherever he was. His side had gained a dull ache from the hard surface he was scrawled across, as the scent of the aged stone filled his nostrils. The combination of sensations triggered memories from the foggy depths of his mind. Flashes of Hojo standing before him, leaning over the young man with his predatory stare flashed through Cloud's mind. The black void shifted around him, changing to that damned basement to the strange hot yet cold sensation of mako touching every inch of his body as he stared out of that glass cage. For a moment, Cloud could even see the reactor where everything went to hell. A twinge went through the nonexistent scar that should have been on his midsection, if he could have survived it at all. Cloud could not be sure what he was really seeing, what he was feeling, but it did not matter. In the end, the memories were too powerful to escape.

A painful throb from his neck caused his mind to clear enough to escape the cascade of former torments. The memories of the hulking man's sudden attack and the disturbing scientist came back to the blonde. Panic rippled through his body, causing Cloud to jump to his feet. The dizziness which followed nearly floored Cloud again, but the adrenaline from his terror kept his legs from buckling.

'Oh, god, please no.' Cloud stumbled forward, seeking blindly for a way out. Within a few steps, shaking hands met the cool surface of a wall. Feeling around franticly, it did not take long for Cloud to realize the room was little more then a box. Ragged breath bounced off the constricting walls. Cloud dropped limply into a corner, drawing his knees to his chest. It was as if the years had melted away in this darkness, changing the blonde into a teenager again. But this time, he did not have Zack around to help him through whatever hell awaited him.

The sound of Jenova and Hojo echoed through his memory, whispering dark secrets into his ears. Those maddening words which tormented and tempted while promising pain with their every syllable. Every so often, Cloud could hear his own screams joining the horrible words. It only grew stronger as the darkness continued.

* * *

Dr. Anders sat at the sturdy mahogany desk, disks and papers stacked neatly across the well polished top. The desk lamp was the only source of light in the murky office. An almost serene ring of glow was cast over the multitude of pictures depicting the blond man held within these walls. Images of the boy, strapped to a table, and at different stages of dissection.

"Beautiful," Anders muttered, running a long finger across each glossy face. The work of the great Hojo, the greatest scientific mind of the century, rested in front of him.

No words could describe Anders' joy at finding the Jenova files in that old mansion nestled in the rolls of the Nibel Mountains. It seemed only right that he, as one of the largest followers of Hojo's work, would be the one to find that great man's last unfinished project. If he believed in gods, Anders may have said that they were moving in his favor.

Picking up one of the compact disks, he placed it in the player. The sound of static flowed as the recording began.

The monotone voice of Hojo began to speak, _"Experiment Log 134X34. Subject B has been showing progress from the injections. Body mass has increased point zero seven percent in sixty eight hours, fourteen seconds. J-component will be increased by half for the next round of treatment._

_Remove the specimen" _

A sound of rustling clothing was the only sound for a moment. Anders reclined into his seat, eyes closed as he pictured the events. A twisted smile was plastered across his face as ragged breathing overtook the recording.

"_And how are we, specimen B? Are you going to be good today?"_ whatever happened next was left to Anders' imagination, _"Is that so,"_ the pleasure in Hojo's voice came through as clear as crystal. _"Let us begin then."_

A pleasant electric thrill ran through Anders' stomach as the sound of the saw began. How lovely it was, listening to Hojo explain his experiment as he worked. It did not faze the young scientist when the screams became audible. If anything, it made the excitement grow. Too feel the power of controlling the experiment, the feel of the Jenova enriched blood, the sight of the living tissue he had only seen inside a stiff cadaver. It was intoxicating, and oh-so exciting, a dream come true even.

Soon he would be able to experience this first hand.

* * *

A portion of wall to Cloud's left swung open, flooding the small hole with light. Instinct flared in the blond, as he threw his arms up to spare his eyes from the harmful brightness. The source of the light did not last, as a hulking figure pressed its way into the doorway, blocking most of the light.

"Heh, look at the concurring hero now," the figure sneered. Now that his sight had started to adjust, Cloud could make out the outlines of the large fighter Azel. Noting that the hefty axe was not with the man, Cloud started to franticly think of ways to get passed the much larger man.

Azel smirked, loving the sight of the cowering ex-Soldier, "I hate guys like you, goody-two-shoes who can't keep their noses to themselves," the man sent a quick kick toward the blonde, who barley managed to defend his ribs from the bone breaking blow. Azel's smile grew colder when the audible snap echoed off the close walls. What little blood was still left in Cloud's face disappeared, "Poor kid can't take a kick like a man."

Had he been watching closer, Azel may have noticed Cloud's body tense, but he continued, "Ya see, I was making a killing with Shinra. All those idiots would pay me everything they had to protect them from the Shinra troops before a reactor went up," Azel grabbed a handful of Cloud's hair and pulled, sending the blonde into the center of the cell, "Then I would get paid by the bigwigs to help destroy those resisting the company. Plenty of blood and money until you came along, pretty boy. Now you're gonna pay for messing up my fun."

Azel lunged forward, but Cloud was ready for him. Driven by nothing but adrenaline and hazy memories of basic training at Shinra, Cloud leapt forward as the man drew near. Taking his captor by surprise, Cloud raised his good arm, hand upward, palm out. The base of his hand smashed into Azel's nose, breaking it. Fighting the searing pain from his arm and now the pain from the broken bones in his hand, Cloud darted to his feet as Azel stumbled onto his knees. Turning, Cloud sent a kick of his own at the stunned man, sending his bloodied face into the stone wall inches away from him. Cloud took some satisfaction from the painful crack that followed, causing Azel to crumple into a heap. Not taking a moment to check if the fighter was dead or not, Cloud started moving down the first corridor he saw.

Though the panic still resonated in his mind, a small part of him was relieved as he moved as quickly as he could without jarring his breaks too badly. As soon as he was out of the cell, it had been clear that this was not Shinra Manor. The halls were whitewashed and smooth without a hint of dirt, unlike the slightly dilapidated manor and its filthy catacombs.

"If it was Shinra Manor, at least I'd know the way out," Cloud giggled franticly. _I'm panicking. And it's not helping._

The building was like a maze, each door he tried would lead into an empty room, or into another hallway. The constant white of the doors and walls were blurring into each other as if the whole place was slowly merging into itself, shutting him into a white abyss.

Cloud had no idea how he found the staircase, but they were the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Practically falling over himself in a dash to get to the top, Cloud felt hope bloom inside him. Once he was out of this place, he would be able to think, he would be able to fight back and escape. He could-

As Cloud threw the door open, a bone cutting gush of cold air hit his unprepared body. Air was sucked from his body as another white image assaulted Cloud's senses. The endless fields of white of the northern region was outside of the doorway was as foreboding and cold as the lump which appeared in his stomach.

"Oh, god," Cloud slumped against the door. He could never cross that tundra in the clothing he had.

A needle sank deep into the flesh of Cloud's pale throat. A familiar feeling, like sinking into molasses overcame him as his body started to go limp. From far away, Cloud saw Anders standing behind him, syringe still in hand, "There is no god here."

* * *

It surprised Vincent how long it took for the psychologist to pack. The man seemed to be taking every personal object he owned, and wasting half an hour to decide if he would need it. But Vincent was on edge, something did not feel right. Years of living in the underbelly of the civilized world had taught Vincent to trust his instincts, but damned if he did not know what this was pointing to.

Reaching into the hidden depths of his cloak, Vincent pulled out his cell phone. Punching in a number, Vincent waited for a response. After a long wait, a flurry of motion hit Vincent's ear. People rushing along the metal floors of the Highwind, the frantic yells of the crew, and more then one person throwing curses in the background as a young voice answered.

"Yuffie?" the ninja girl was oddly subdued. He had never heard the girl spoke so softly, even when afflicted with motion sickness. Hearing this tone now, with everything going on made concern bloom into dread.

"Oh, god Vincent, where are you? Cloud, we . . . he," Yuffie's voice was choked with tears.

It was as if the girl had dropped a cold stone into Vincent's gut, "What happened?"

"He's missing Vincent," to the girl's credit, her voice steadied as she answered his question, "He just left the ship, and, and we can't get a hold of him."

Vincent was glad he had the phone in his normal hand, or else the little device would have been in pieces. He bashed his clawed hand into the wall behind him, leaving a good sized dent. "Do you have any leads?"

"We found his Buster Sword a few hours ago."

Vincent clenched his teeth, biting down on the curse which wanted to rip its way out of his throat, "Come get me."

_How much worst could this ordeal get?_ Vincent turned, stalking into the house. Somehow, he had the feeling he did not want to know.

* * *

"Uh."

As Cloud came too, invisible weight was crashing down on every inch of his body, restraining every muscle. Grogginess from the drugs was leaving him slowly. The sound of his heart blasting in his ears was deafening, as the darkness began to lighten into gray.

But it was that smell which got through the drug induced haze. A sharp scent which burnt his nostrils, killing any other scents which may have lingered in the air, one that he knew so well. He could feel the sterilizing chemicals churning around him like miasma. Even the slowly brightening fog which hovered across his vision seemed to shift along with the smell.

Overhead, lights flickered into existence, glaring down with white hot agony. Turning his head away from the discomfort, it was not hard to notice medical equipment placed around the room, even with his blurry vision. Cloud went cold at the sight of the equipment. The feeling of cold restraints against his arms and legs sent the blonde into a full out panic attack. Heavy breathing covered the soft steps of the lithe scientist as he moved toward the blond.

Anders stared down at the hyperventilating man. Tapping on the restraints, he was able to get Cloud's attention, "I am very happy you joined us Mr. Strife," examining the tools resting near Cloud's head, the scientist moved closer, "The only remaining subject from Dr. Hojo's Jenova experimentation."

To Cloud, the image of this man was overlapped by the slouching form of Hojo. The image bent forward, taking hold of his chin in order to look directly into Cloud's eyes. The fear which had been growing in those blue pools was full blown panic now. Hard black eyes stared at him with a hunger burning in their depths.

"Let us get acquainted, shall we?" Anders picked up a scalpel. He turned it in his hand as he stared down at Cloud, "We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

Cloud bashing count: Broken arm, sprained hand, psychological torture. I loved this chapter; I got to give Cloud some balls, and then totally ripped him down. I may have an issue against blondes. Meh, it works.


	7. Chapter 7

Not very long, sorry. But it is an update so I don't feel too bad. Sadly, I was under the effect of the dreaded depression. And as some of you may know, it just sucks your soul dry of any creativity. But I have overcome it for now, and I thought a good torture fest would help. So enjoy, my children. Fill yourselves in the madness of human experimentation. And remember that although I do not own Final Fantasy, you all own a bit of my black, black heart.

* * *

Bib, bib. Bib, bib.

The steady beep of a heart monitor rang out from an assortment of machines and equipment surrounding a surgery table. The sound bounced off the sterile white walls, the echo filling the equally white room with hundreds of hearts. At the center of the beating, Cloud slowly rose from the murky depths of unconsciousness. The blaring overhead light cut through his closed eyelids, adding to the other pains that where slowly making themselves known. Mostly the searing pain in his neck and a cold pressure around his limbs were the most noticeable as he woke.

"I see we're waking up. Good," a voice appeared in Cloud's ear, cold enough to make the young man shiver, "I was tired of waiting."

Blue eyes snapped open to find Anders standing over the blonde, a twisted smile on his lips. Cloud could not breathe for a moment, as he saw a familiar cold gleam in this scientist's eyes. Once his lungs began moving again, the blonde started thrashing against the restrains holding him to the table. The restraints dug into his flesh in his ill fated attempt to break free. Despite his best efforts, the straps holding him did not budge.

Anders turned away, allowing the blonde to rip his skin against the restraints. With a loving hand, the scientist ran a hand across a row of gleaming scalpels, "You have no idea how much this will mean to me."

The man picked up a scalpel, "There is so much I will learn," Anders turned, rolling the tool in his palm as Cloud's muscles pushed franticly against the constraints, "Let's get to work, shall we?"

The man struck quickly. It was not the slow motion that Hojo had used in order to relish the feel of the blade separating layers of muscle. This first cut was done in a single fast motion, like an overzealous child ripping into a present. The shock of the sudden attack kept the pain at bay for a moment.

But in the next, the pain was unbearable.

The screams were deafening as they were torn from the blonde's throat. Each cut of the scalpel tore through him like a searing line of liquid fire. Needles were stabbing delicate areas that should never have been revealed to the light of day. Organs and muscles endured hours of poking and shredding as samples of each were stolen by the white clothed devil.

Eventually, Anders grew tired of the sounds of pain and had paralyzed his specimen's vocal cords with a savage jab. Even this unknown cocktail seared its way through Cloud's being, adding to the agony of the rest of his body.

"Facinating," the scientist breathed as he watched the red stained tissue slowly knit back together. He stood for a minute, watching the skin close, leaving a red welt where the cut had been. Eventually, the scientist finished the work the alien cells had started, sewing the skin together. Once the gaping hole was closed, Anders stepped back, his lab coat now stained black with blood. Without another look, he moved to a laptop placed a safe distance away from the splatter that covered the floor with speckles of red.

Cloud saw nothing of this, his glowing blue eyes dulled as he gazed at long dead scenes. All he could see was the sadistic twist of thin lips that haunted his dreams and those long pale fingers that promised so many horrors.

"_What shall we discuss today, specimen B?"_ a voice full of dark pleasure purred into his ear as a ghostly touch of fingertips grazed his cheek. Although he knew that no one had touched him, the muscles of Cloud's cheek still restricted in an attempt to escape the phantom caress. _"Let us get back to our fun."_

The room suddenly became alive as an erratic beeping overpowered the quite typing. Anders' head snapped up as a steady screech came from the heart monitor flat lined. Swearing, the doctor rushed across the room. Grabbing paddles off of the machine, he pressed a button to send it humming into activity. Pressing the paddles to the pale chest, a current of electricity passed through the battered man, causing the entire body to jump against the restraints. After a sudden jump of the monitor, the steady line and screech continued. Growling, Anders tried again. This time, his work was rewarded with a sharp spike on the monitor.

"Oh, you are not getting out of this that easily," the doctor growled down at the deathly white figure, "I refuse to let you go."

* * *

Hours later, Anders stepped out of the once white room with a satisfied air around him. He held vials filled with tissue and nameless liquids as if they were the most precious items in the world. His blood covered clothing had been left behind among the evidence of his pleasant expedition of his specimen's insides. Outside of the doors stood four men waiting for him, two were stood rod straight in their military cut uniforms. The other two stared meekly at the floor.

Anderson glanced at them before moving down the hall. As he moved pass the small group, the doctor barked, "Clean the specimen up and put it in the holding cell. Then clean up that mess."

The man did not pause to see if his orders were followed. His full attention was on the vials of samples that he clutched lovingly in his hands. These samples were a masterpiece left unfinished. The last work of the great Hojo, right in front of him, ready for him to research.

Anders chuckled as he made his way toward the lab, "And it's all mine."

* * *

Cloud sat listless against the cold wall of his cell. Pain still flowed through every nerve, pulsing with the beat of his heart. It was not a blinding white pain like before, that threatened to swallow you whole, but an ebbing ache that came and went too fast to follow.

The glow of his eyes never moved from the spot on the floor they were glued to. He did not see the black floor as images of the past.

"Not much changes with these crack pots, do they?" the question slipped into the air smoothly from Cloud's right. Even though he had not heard that voice for so long, it washed over his soul like a soothing balm, "Always the dank dungeon vibe. You'd think that these 'smart' people would be a little more creative."

Cloud slowly turned to look up into the face of a beaming Zack Fair, looking the same as he had before that horrible day on the cliffs. He could almost believe that the Soldier was really there. The older man looked like he had years ago. He could almost believe that he could feel the warmth of Zack's leg near his. But Cloud remembered that face covered with blood, dying in the mud as the rain fell. How the light had left his eyes as they closed for the last time.

That smile warmed his spirit while it tore it apart.

"Hey Kid," Zack leaned against the wall, looking down at the young man. The Soldier slid down the wall, coming to sit next to Cloud without touching, "You got some strange luck, you know that?"

Receiving no reply from the staring blonde, Zack looked around the small cell, "At least you got more room this time. God, those capsules were tiny."

Tearing his eyes off of this ghost, Cloud muttered to the air, "I've gone crazy. . ."

"Maybe a little," Zack shrugged, "But I've always questioned how stable someone was who chose to look like the tail end of a Chocobo."

The joke did not have the effect Zack had been looking for. It was a joke that he could never actually hear again, lost in a hail of bullets. All because Cloud had not been strong enough to help, slowing Zack down so that he could not get away.

Zack watched the blonde's face crumble, "Hey, I'm okay. It happens."

"It should've been me," Cloud mumbled as he stared at the dark floor.

"God, you're so depressing Kid," Zack chuckled. Cloud looked over to see a soft smile, "I'm glad it happened this way, I got to save a friend. And don't worry, I'll be here until we get you out."

* * *

No Vincent in this chapter, but I think I made up for it. If you wonder, yes, this will be coming to a close pretty soon. But I will have a bit more Cloud torture coming for my loving fans. Not that I don't love this story, it's just that it is really hard to decide how much to show. Even now, I'm not sure if I showed too much gore for a T story. It makes me hesitate in my writing, and when that happens the writers block can find a resting place in my head.

Anyways, to any of my fans who may have continued following this as well as my new readers, I offer you all hugs. (stretches out blood covered arms to reviewers)


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